The difference between West Virginia and West Hollywood #134:
So, tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, which quickly snuck up on me this year. Maybe its the snow-less California December that threw me off, but it just doesn't feel like the holidays do back east. Which is half good and half bad, I suppose.
Well, tonight I got a dose of holiday cheer when 2 fully-dressed Hasidic (ultra-orthodox, think Matisyahu) Jews showed up at my door and asked me if I was Jewish. I replied "Yes I am" and without hesitation one of them coldly reached into a brown paper bag and handed me a Menorah. The other shouldered his way into my front door while not really asking,"Want us to come in and
light the candles with you?". I was admittedly caught off guard by the whole thing and replied with an awkward "Oh, no, that's cool. I'll just do it. The candles. Myself. Thanks," as I pushed back against the door. They then asked if I knew of any other Jews that lived in my building but I did not (Not the most neighborly question, ya know?).
After they left and it sunk in what just happened, I set up the cheap tin gold menorah and placed a candle in the far right holder and held the lit Shamas in my hand and half from memory, half from the phonetically-spelled booklet they gave me, I quietly said all three prayers. I'm not much of a religious person, but very proud to be Jewish and doing this small gesture was nice. It reminded me of repeating each funny-sounding word after my mom while I lit the candles when I was little and it was also comforting that I was able to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah on my own, something I was completely prepared to skip this year until the Menorah-toting Hanukkah Harrys showed up at my door.
As I stared at the glow of the candles and watched the wax slowly drip on to a paper plate I placed underneath, I started to freak. What if they were just cleverly disguised robbers casing my apartment? I've GOT to be more careful who I talk to out here.
Happy Holidays
s
